Now reading...

I just picked up Robert Jordan's "Eye of the World" at the book store today. I've only read about fifteen pages and it's good so far.

What are you currently reading?

Excellent question, I''m always reading something.

Since I''m all caught up on Robin Hobb''s Farseer novels and the now finished the second book in her current Fool series I''ve picked up The Liveship Traders trilogy.

I''m only starting on the first book but Hoochie tells me that it''s even better than the earlier Farseer books. High praise indeed!

I''m currently rereading The Discovery of Heaven by Harry Mulisch, one of the most prominent modern Dutch novels and, apperantly, one of the better novels of the last decade http://www.complete-review.com/reviews/mulischh/heaven.htm. If you like this one... although I don''t think you''ll ever get the chance to read it, too bad ...I can recommend all his other books as they are the pinnacle of Dutch literature only second to Hermans and Multatuli.

I''m in the middle of two books right now: Sourcery by Terry Pratchett and Ode to a Banker by Lindsay Davis. I''m sure Terry is probably better known in this crowd than the author of murder mysteries set in Rome during the first century, but I''d recommend them both.

I also just came back from Barnes & Noble with William Gibson''s new hardcover, Pattern Recognition. What can I say...Neuromancer was one of those defining books for me.

"Certis" wrote:

Excellent question, I''m always reading something.

Since I''m all caught up on Robin Hobb''s Farseer novels and the now finished the second book in her current Fool series I''ve picked up The Liveship Traders trilogy.

I''m only starting on the first book but Hoochie tells me that it''s even better than the earlier Farseer books. High praise indeed!

Robin Hobb is freaking awesome! My second favorite author just slightly behind George RR Martin.

As for the Liveship books, they are truly fantastic, but I have to say I preferred the Farseer trilogy to them.

Fantastic question indeed, I''m reading something all the time. I''m currently reading Yeager, Chuck Yeager''s fascinating autobiography. Before that, I had just completed Skyraider: The Douglas A-1 Flying Dump Truck and Air Campaign: Planning for Combat.

Some of the upcoming books on my reading list include Firebirds, Hostile Waters, Jg 26: Top Guns of the Luftwaffe, and Luftwaffe Fighter Aces.

The two best books I''ve read in the last year were Chickenhawk and Four Hours in My Lai.

As you can see, I''m big into military history.

Now reading

Engine City by Ken Macleod, it''s the last in a trilogy of books and it''s ahrd sci-fi in the Arthur C Clarke vein.Pretty good, so far.

A while ago someone on this fine site recommended ""Hyperion"", and I must say it is excellent. I''m about 30% through and I can''t wait to pick it up before bed tonight.

Ulairi, enjoy the early books man, because after about the4th one they really start to go downhill. It''s too bad considering how good the first few are.

Since I''m all caught up on Robin Hobb''s Farseer novels and the now finished the second book in her current Fool series I''ve picked up The Liveship Traders trilogy.

I liked the Liveship Trader trilogy more than the Farseer trilogy myself. But thought both made for a really enjoyable read.

For new stuff, I just tried Greg Keyes''s ""The Briar King"", which I''m about half way throught . So far I would say it''s a really good book. Seems well written with a nice pace and pretty well fleshed out characters. If it stays as good to the end, I''m gonna highly recommend it.

And since it seem''s there are a lot of other sci-fi/fantasy readers on this board, let me suggest Janny Wurt''s ""War of Light and Shadow books. She''s about 5 books into them so far and for the most part they have been pretty consistent and well written. I would like to see them edited back back by about a hundred pages each, but for the most part the books are enjoyable.

The Illuminatus Trilogy, for the second time.

Non Serviam, Female Doggo!

Currently reading 1984 for a school paper (damn you Big Brother *shakes fist*) and re-reading Children of The Mind and Pastwatch : The Redemption of Christopher Colombus by Orson Scott Card. Highly recommended!

Working on George RR Martin''s Fire & Ice series. About 1/2 way through Clash of Kings, and it''s pretty nifty thus far.

1984 is better as a novelle of ideas (not really a complete story eh?) than as a novel. The characters are a bit flat and the love story is stale, the whole totalitarian concepts though are mind-boggling and IMO the best part of the book.

A while ago someone on this fine site recommended ""Hyperion"", and I must say it is excellent. I''m about 30% through and I can''t wait to pick it up before bed tonight.

Although it wasn''t me who suggested the Hyperion books, kudos to whoever did- damn fine, fine scifi there. The third and fourth books in the series change the pace somewhat, but in the long run, are even better...

"Gorey" wrote:

Although it wasn''t me who suggested the Hyperion books, kudos to whoever did- damn fine, fine scifi there. The third and fourth books in the series change the pace somewhat, but in the long run, are even better...

I agree totally. The Hyperion series is fantastic, especially the last 2 (Endymion, Rise of Endymion).

currently ""Fighting Terror - Fighting Islam?"" by Peter Scholl-Latour. Don''t know if this is out already in english language. If it is, do read it if you have an interest in the current situation in the middle east. The guy who wrote this is a long time journalist in the area, a conservative but he argues very resonable and tries to give a bigger scope on the situation.

On the fictional side I currently enjoy ""Das Jesus Video"" by Andreas Eschbach. Very interesting read. It toys with the idea that archeologists find a manual of a cam in an ancient tomb near jerusalem and date it ~2000 years old. The cam will be released in some years earliest though. Afterwards they naturally seek for the camera, because they think it might contain a video showing of Jesus. Turns out to be a good thriller so far.

damn you Big Brother *shakes fist*

I find this to be a troubling sentiment from you. What an unkind thing to say!

Don''t worry, Elysium, I don''t consider you big. After all, I''ve seen you sing (and act) the Twelve Days of Christmas (though it was a Gilbert and Sullivan caliber performance).

That''s a good way to get your posts deleted!

I assure you all, he''s crazy. Possibly delusional.

A friend recently lent me Otherland by Tad Williams.

I''m roughly half way through the first book, and am loving it so far.

It can only get better (hopefully )

If you like the Hyperion series, you should check out Dan Simmons'' other novels. Carrion Comfort in particular is a roller coaster ride.

Shelby Foote - Fort Sumter to Perryville and
just finished Semper Mars by Ian Douglas(which was a lot better than i expected considering i picked it up for a dollar)(it involves marines, mars and the us vs the un, what more could you ask for)

I''m reading ""From These Ashes"", a collection of the short stories of Fredric Brown. For anyone who hasn''t read Fredric Brown (or indeed, heard of him!), keep an eye out for him in your local used bookstore. ""From These Ashes"" is the only thing of his that''s currently in print.

Fredric Brown was a scifi writer who was published from the 1940s to the 1960s. He wrote scifi and mystery stories, and handled both genres beatifully. His short stories (sometimes only half a page long) are especially delightful, written in a tongue-in-cheek style that often makes me laugh out loud at the conclusion. He usually included a twist at the end (he wrote for Hitchcock and Ellery Quenn pulp magazines - need I say more about the twist?)

I''d highly recommend his books ""Honeymoon In Hell"", Paradox Lost, and What Mad Universe"". If you see Fredric Brown in that bargain bin at the used bookstore, pick him up! You won''t be sorry.

I got turned on to the Song of Ice and Fire series in the last book thread and i''m almost through with A Storm of Swords.

Very good series.

Ulairi, I just finished Eye of the World, it was great though I thought the end was a bit strange.. I''ve got the second book in my bag but haven''t had time to start it between uni and work. I''m sure it''s good though and can''t wait for some spare time.